


and this part was for her

by writerblender



Series: looking too closely [5]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Gen, there's some cute stuff !! jane vomits a couple times !! it's a grand ole time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-04 23:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14031501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerblender/pseuds/writerblender
Summary: five times that steve knew jane had a crush on billy and one time that they both did[or, finally, a 5+1 story]





	and this part was for her

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pretendimstraight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretendimstraight/gifts), [xxcaribbean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxcaribbean/gifts).



> for the prompt: okay but what about steve realizing that el acts the same way around billy as she does around mike, all cute and lovestruck, and the him and her bond over their mutual crush and talking about how cute and "bitchin'" billy is?
> 
> you don't need to read the rest of the series for context !! however 'please don't leave me here' is a fic that happens between part 4 and 5, just for anyone who's curious / interested.

_i._

The first time Steve notices it, he's at his house. The party is in his living room, watching  _Raiders of the Lost Ark_  and yelling excitedly every time Harrison Ford does something that they deem even  _remotely_  cool.

He already knows that Jane's veryparticular with what she likes to watch. (He's learned the hard way that  _General Hospital_  and  _Emmerdale_  are  _not_  the same as  _Young and Restless_  and  _Days of Our Lives_.) Still, he's surprised when he finds Jane and Billy sitting on the steps, separated from the rest of the group as they talk.

Jane is sitting a few steps below Billy, resting her elbows on her knees and chin on her hands. Her eyes are glued to Billy; she's practically hanging onto every word that comes out of his mouth. Steve inches closer, wondering what could be so interesting that Billy would have her undivided attention.

It's the plot of  _Jaws_.

Steve can't help rolling his eyes as he listens to Billy animatedly retelling the story of a shark that terrorized a small town to Jane. Every time that he mentions the shark appearing, he leans forward, poking Jane lightly in the side. It's just enough to make her gasp and widen her eyes, before dissolving into giggles when she remembers that she's safe from the monster that Billy's describing.

Steve interrupts him half-way through the shark's attack on the men's boat, ruffling Jane's curls and squeezing to sit next to Billy in the narrow staircase. "What are you two talking about over here?"

"Sharks!" Jane cries out enthusiastically. 

"Sharks?" Steve repeats and Jane nods with just as much fervor.

"Sharks eating people!" She exclaims, before opening and closing her mouth several times with her teeth bared. Steve thinks she's trying to mimic the shark and Billy chuckles at her.

"Sounds exciting," Steve replies. "But I think your friends are missing you in there, Jane," he continues, gesturing to where the rest of the party is still yelling about Indiana Jones. Dustin and Lucas seem to the primary culprits of the loud voices, locked in a fierce debate over whether Batman or Indiana Jones would win in a fight. Max's voice raises above all of theirs, begging them to be quiet so she can hear the TV.

"Billy's my friend too," Jane replies, shrugging her shoulders. "Plus, TV is boring. Too  _loud_. I  _like_  sharks."

"Yeah, me too. How about next movie night we watch  _Jaws_  instead of having Billy here tell you all about it?" Steve offers. At his suggestion, Jane shrugs.

"Like the story," Jane mumbles. "Like how Billy tells it."

"But it's not the same as seeing the  _actual_  shark," Steve teases, reaching out to poke her shoulder playfully.

Jane giggles, small smile reappearing on her face. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Jane seems to be pleased enough with his answer as she nods quickly after considering his answer. "Thanks, Billy," she says, giving him a quick, beaming smile before she stands up and walks back towards the party, who are now arguing over the fastest way for Indiana Jones to take down the entire Nazi regime by himself.

"Yeah, we are  _not_  showing her  _Jaws_ ," Steve says the second that Jane is out of an earshot. He leans over, taking Billy's hand in his as the blonde boy chuckles in response.

"Come on," Billy teases, shifting his hand to thread their fingers together. "She'll love it."

"She'll  _never_  swim again."

"There aren't sharks in your  _heated_  pool, Harrington."

"Yeah," Steve replies. "But when you finally take her out to California, she won't go anywhere  _near_  the ocean."

"Not true. Sharks don't even  _eat_  people. It's all a bunch of Hollywood effects."

"Yeah, that's still a  _no_."

Billy only laughs.

_ii._

The next time Steve notices something, he's seated on the floor of Hopper's bathroom, watching helplessly as Jane vomits again. Billy is crouched next to her, rubbing her back gently and brushing the curls off her forehead every few minutes. He looks back at Steve desperately, unsure of what to do to help.

It's the first time that Jane's been sick since she's been free of the lab and Hopper's been called into work on an "emergency." He'd called Billy as a last resort upon Jane's request and Billy had called Steve almost instantly afterwards, cancelling their date in favor of taking care of the younger girl. Steve had followed suit, knowing just how difficult it is to take care of a sick pre-teen, let alone one with supernatural powers.

"Why don't we head back to the couch, Jane?" Steve asks slowly as Jane sniffles pitifully. "Try to drink some water?"

Jane looks over at him warily. Steve thinks she's trying to be menacing but she's too pale and tired to instill any fear in him. She shakes her head slowly, groaning at the movement before swaying where she's still bent over. Billy rushes forward, grabbing her elbows gently to steady her.

"C'mon, kid," Billy urges quietly. "You're gonna be even sicker if you don't  _try_  something."

At Billy's words, Jane lets out a noise of agreement as she rests her head on his chest, eyes closing instantly. Billy scoops her up in his arms, shooting Steve an urgent look. Steve scrambles to the door, throwing it open, before rushing downstairs to get a glass of tap water for her.

The rest of the night goes, to Steve's dismay, the same way. Any time that Steve tries to help Jane, she refuses to do anything and ends up crying several times -- which Steve isn't totally convinced is  _his_  fault and is instead a product of the fever she's currently fighting off. Whenever Billy suggests something, Jane agrees almost instantly. It's only  _mildly_  infuriating.

The two boys agree to take shifts with Jane throughout the rest of the night, looking after her as the fever and vomiting keep her awake. In the end, Billy stays up at Jane's side until morning comes and Jane finally drifts off into a restless sleep, after Billy promises not to leave in case she wakes up again.

Steve is half-asleep where he's sitting on the living room floor and Billy is in one of Hopper's old sweatshirts that Steve found, his own shirt discarded after Jane threw up on him a few hours ago. He can't help it when the giggle bubbles up through his chest and out his throat. Billy looks at him with wide eyes, afraid that the noise will wake Jane up.

Once, however, they realize they're in the clear, both boys can't help but laugh at the situation. It's a bit ridiculous and they both look worse for wear but Steve wouldn't have changed their bizarre change of date night plans for the world.

When Hopper comes home a few hours later, he finds Billy and Steve asleep against the couch, both leaning on each other. Jane is unconscious as well, her hand still in Billy's.

_iii._

Hawkins Middle School is holding a middle-school dance, halfway through the second part of the school year. Mike had asked Jane to go with her and she'd happily - and enthusiastically - agreed. She had been absolutely thrilled to go at another event like Snowball with all her friends, only for Hopper to tell her that it wasn't safe for her to be out again so soon. Despite the protests of the entire party, Jane was on house arrest.

"Well, Harrington," Billy sighs next to him. They're both seated on the hood of his Camaro, sharing a cigarette at the edge of the parking lot. Loud, muted music radiates from the school's gym. "This has been fun but I've got a date," he looks down quickly at his watch, swearing softly when he sees the time, "that I'm  _late_  for.  _Christ_."

"A  _date_?" Steve spits out, panic growing warm in his chest. He and Billy haven't made anything official yet; they haven't declared each other  _boyfriends_  yet, for fear of the hate that finds home in small towns. Still, Steve can't help but feel jealousy worm its way up his throat when he hears that Billy's going to spend the night with someone else.

"Yeah," Billy replies coolly. "Wanna tag along?"

"To your  _date_?" Steve repeats stupidly. "You  _want_  me to come  _with_   _you_  on  _your_  date?"

Billy nods, flicking his cigarette to the pavement and putting it out with the heel of his boot. He opens the front door to the Camaro, smiling at where Steve's still seated on the hood. "Get  _in_ , Harrington."

...

"Your date... is at  _Hopper's_?" Steve asks, voice incredulous.

Billy grins at him from the driver's seat. "C'mon, pretty boy," he teases, before stepping out of the car and onto the cabin's front porch.

The door opens almost instantly and all of Steve's panic dies in his throat the second he sees Jane. She's in one of Max's yellow dresses, barefoot and curls wild. "Billy!" She cries, joy heavy in her voice. She reaches out a hand, which Billy takes, and leads him inside the house.

Steve's still standing next to Billy's car, dumbfounded at the whole situation, when Jane pokes her head outside again. "Steve," she says once before disappearing back inside.

Steve takes that as his invitation to follow her. When he does, Billy's standing in the living room, grinning at him. Jane is crouched in front of the stereo, changing stations with a slight flick of her head until she finds the right song. Steve points to where she's kneeling, expression curious.

Billy shrugs as he makes his way over to Steve, smile still on his face. "Kid was  _heartbroken_. I couldn't just let her mope around all night 'cause she's been dealt a shitty card. I get the whole safety thing but -- she deserves  _something_."

Steve leans forward, cupping Billy's face with his hands, and kisses him there and then. He only pulls away when Jane makes a noise of disgust behind him. Jane glares at them, both blushing, before sticking her tongue out to show her disapproval of their public display of affection.

"Dancing," she says as Stevie Nicks begins to croon in the background. "Not kissing."

"Alright, Jane, you got it," Billy relents, slipping past Steve to stand in front of her. "Let's dance."

Steve watches, smile radiant, as Jane steps on Billy's feet to lead them along to whatever song is on the radio. 

...

An hour later, Jane is scurrying about the kitchen, preparing what she calls "Snowball Snacks", which Billy informs him are simply Eggos and orange juice.

Steve had offered to make them for her but, following the last time when Steve had accidentally left them in too long and burnt them, Jane had refused to let him cook again.

Billy's taken the opportunity, now that the two of them have a moment of privacy, to dance with Steve. "What is it, princess?" Billy asks quietly, noticing the way that Steve is staring him.

"It's you," Steve replies. "You. What you did tonight. It's  _incredible._ "

"Knock it off," Billy instantly spits back.

"C'mon, have you even  _looked_  at Jane once tonight? She's staring at you like you stole the  _sun_ out of the sky for her."

"I didn't steal the sun, Harrington. I was just trying to make her life less shitty than it already is --."

 

Steve cuts him off with another kiss. He knows that arguing with Billy is pointless; it's his words against Billy's. He figures that he'll convey more with his lips against Billy's.

"No kissing!" Jane's annoyed voice breaks them up from below.

Billy laughs into their kiss.

_iv._

The fight is long and bloody.

Steve wonders, hysterically, if it will ever end when he hears another demodog howl in the distance. This one sounds closer than they last; they're coming faster now. 

"Jesus _Christ_ , how many of these fuckers are there?" Billy mumbles next to him, swinging the tire iron, now covered in monster gore, that he'd snatched from Hopper's backseat earlier.

"At least they're not following Jonathan," Nancy hisses from where she's crouched on the ground, refilling her gun as efficiently, Steve observes, as a trained professional. Both Steve and Hopper had insisted that she go with Jonathan, help take the kids out of the line of danger, but she'd only loaded her gun and declared that anyone else who objected her staying to help would get a bullet to the balls. 

"Safe," a small voice pipes up from behind Steve and Billy. Steve's stomach twists when he looks down to see Jane standing there, wiping blood from her nose with her jacket sleeve. Billy had put up an even larger fight about her sticking around than they had with Nancy but, in the end, she  _was_  their best defense against the dogs. Her mind did more damage faster and easier than any spiked bat or bullet could.

"Yeah," Steve mumbles. "They  _better_  be."

Hopper opens his mouth, as if he's prepared to add to their conversation, when Byers' front door shudders against the weight of something much larger slamming into it. The noise - and what it means - silences all of them before they can continue to argue. Their respite from the action, however short-lived, is over. Steve's grip tightens on his bat.

"Stay behind us, you hear me?" He hears Billy ask Jane and Jane nods, eyes annoyed. He looks over quickly, as the door buckles again, to see Billy shake his head and ruffle Jane's curls. Jane looks over at Steve without a word and smiles weakly.

"Hey, Harrington," Billy barks and Steve's gaze snaps from the younger girl to his boyfriend. Billy smiles at him despite the blood covering them both and the monsters that are nearly inside. The door groans for a final time and Steve's stomach drops to his feet.

"Don't forget to plant your feet."

...

"Jim!" Jane's terrified scream slices through the Byers', over the sounds of Nancy's gun and demodog shrieks. Steve turns to watch as one of the monsters races towards Jim's unprotected back and as, to his growing horror, Jane breaks out into a run towards him, Converse squeaking on the bloody floor.

"Fuck!" Billy swears from behind him, beating the demodog at his feet one last time to make  _sure_  it's dead this time before he takes off after her.

Everything after that happens in slow motion for Steve.

He watches Jane, who is still yelling for Jim, as her shoes skid across the wet floor and her feet go out from under her. The demodog, previously interested in pouncing on Jim's back as he reloads his rifle, turns to Jane, who hits the ground hard. Her head makes a sickening crack against the wood and the monster takes her suddenly dazed expression as all he needs for easy prey.

Billy doesn't have time to swing at the monster's flowered mouth. All he can do is skid to the ground in front of her, putting his body between Jane's and the monster's rows of teeth.

...

Steve can't move. He can only watch.

Nancy's gun goes off next to him and the sound jars him back into action. The demodog that was seconds away from killing Billy cries out in pain as the bullet enters its torso. Steve moves forward as Billy swings, the tire iron sinking into the monster's head. 

Billy kills it with one swing.

By the time Steve reaches the kitchen, Billy is crouched next to Jane. "Hey, kid, you're okay," he assures Jane, who is propped up on her elbows now, groaning at the movement to her head. "Take it easy. You're fine."

Jane looks at the dead monster a few feet away from her and then back at Billy before a small smile appears on her face.

"Bitchin."

_v._

The phone rings at 3:34 in the morning.

Billy lifts up his head, groaning in annoyance and staring at Steve in confusion through half-lidded eyes. "If that's Dustin, I swear to God, Harrington..." he groans and Steve can't help the smile that breaks out across his face despite being awoken so abruptly.

He stands slowly, pressing a quick kiss to Billy's bare shoulder, and makes his way over to the telephone. He answers on the last ring. "Hello?"

The person on the other line hiccups on a sob and Steve freezes.

"Billy."

...

"Jane?" Steve asks quickly.

"Steve?" She asks. Her voice sounds so tiny that Steve's heart clenches in his chest.

"Yeah, it's me, kiddo. What's goin' on?" Steve replies.

"Billy?" She repeats.

"Yeah, he's here," Steve says, leaning back to look up the stairs where he knows Billy is still lying in his bed, half-asleep. "Is Hop there with you, Jane?"

"Jim's at work. E-mergency," she states carefully. There's only a few seconds of silence before she speaks again. "Billy?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's okay," Steve replies. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes!" Jane practically shouts into the reciever and Steve pulls the phone away from his ear, wincing at the sudden spike of volume in his eardrums.

"Okay, okay. Can you hang on for a minute? I have to go get him," Steve asks. He listens to Jane sniffle before she mumbles out a small noise of affirmation and, with that, he's racing up the stairs and into his room.

"Jesus, Harrington," Billy groans, his face pressed into Steve's pillow. "You're like a fucking elephant."

"It's Jane," Steve breathes out and, instantly, Billy is on his feet, sleep long forgotten. He runs ahead of Steve to the phone, grabbing it the second it's within his reach and presses it to his ear.

"Jane?" He asks immediately. "What's wrong?" Steve doesn't say a thing; he can only gather context from the way Billy's eyes flash with hurt and how he moves to grab Steve's fingers with his own. Steve holds on just as tight.

"Hey, hey, Jane, it's okay," Billy is rushing to say suddenly and Steve's heart clenches painfully in his chest. "Hey, I'm right here, yeah? ... Hey, listen, I can be at the cabin in a few minutes. Can you hang on for me until then? Yeah? Do you think you'll be okay if I hang up? ... I have to, Jane. I don't have Hop's radio... The sooner I hang up, the sooner I'll be there... Okay, okay. Just hang on for me, alright? Yeah. Yeah..." Billy pauses then, looking over at Steve nervously before he clears his throat. "Yeah. Love you too, kid. I'll see you soon."

Billy hangs up the phone and looks over at Steve. "Where are your keys?"

"In my room," Steve replies numbly and Billy squeezes his hand, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek as he moves towards the stairs. Steve doesn't let go of his hand; in fact, he hangs on tighter and Billy spins around, staring at him in confusion and mild annoyance.

"I have to go, Harrington," he insists.

" _We_ ," Steve replies firmly. " _We_  have to go."

Billy only nods.

...

To his defense, Steve only lets out two terrified yelps on the way to Hopper's cabin. He's grown used to the reputation that both Billy and Max have lived up to as very fast -  _very_ reckless - drivers when the situation calls for it but tonight, Billy makes enough sharp turns at dizzying speeds to leave Steve's heart pounding in his throat.

He's about to make a snide comment about Billy being lucky that they made it there alive at all when they pull up to Hopper's cabin but, before he can even open his mouth, Billy is out of the car and up the stairs of the porch. When he tries the door, it opens with ease. Steve knows it's because of Jane.

Steve takes his time walking into the cabin. He doesn't want to intrude on whatever's happening; he doesn't know exactly what's going on. Whatever it is, it's between Billy and Jane. It's not for Steve to find out, no matter how much he wants to.

When he finally enters, Jane has her arms around Billy's neck, holding onto him tightly as relieved tears slip down her cheeks. Billy's on his knees, practically holding her up as she cries. 

The look that Billy sends him over Jane's shoulder shatters Steve's heart there and then.

...

Jane had dreamt of Papa.

Steve assures her, one steady hand resting on her knee, that Papa's gone. He died when the demogorgon attacked the school. They've gotten her out the lab -- this time for good. As long as he and Hopper and Billy and the rest of the gang are around, she'll be safe. 

Jane shakes her head and looks Steve directly in the eyes. "Not mine," she says. "His." She jabs Billy forcefully in the shoulder. Billy pulls away as if she's physically shocked him. "Not gone. Can still see him. Can still hurt him."

This time, it's Billy's heart that breaks.

_\+ i._

Steve confronts her about it over dinner in Hopper's cabin. He and Billy are in the kitchen, preparing round two of pizza for their small group. Jane is seated on the couch, balancing a plate of their pizza on her knees and completely absorbed in  _Jaws_  for the third time this week.

Jane is humming along to the theme of the movie through a mouthful of food, watching with wide eyes as the film begins another ominous attack by the great white.

"Did we miss anything big yet, Jane?" Billy calls from where he's looking for more ingredients in the fridge.

"We're gonna need a bigger boat!" Jane parrots and the two boys grin at her. They're  _nowhere_  near the climax of the movie yet but Jane can't help it. Once she loves something, she  _loves_  something.

"Hey, think you can handle pizza operations for a minute?" Steve asks, breaking the silence in the kitchen. "I have to ask Jane something."

"Yeah," Billy responds without turning away from the fridge. "Everything okay?" He sounds genuinely concerned when he asks, setting down the container in his hands to finally look at Steve over his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Just gotta ask her some stuff," Steve insists, shrugging off Billy's concern with a wave of his hand. He doesn't wait any longer; instead, he makes his way to where Jane is, sitting down next to her on the couch.

"Hey, Jane," he says quietly. "How's  _Jaws_  doing?"

"Hungry," Jane replies, effectively making her point by biting down on her piece of pizza when she's done speaking.

Steve only nods in response, watching the movie quietly with her for a few moments. When he looks back into the kitchen, Billy is out of sight and he takes it as his chance to speak.

"Can I ask you something, Jane?" He asks, causing her to look away from the television and nod. "What do you think of Billy?"

Jane's face scrunches up in confusion at the question but she answers regardless. "Friend. Trust him. Love him."

"Love him?" Steve repeats.

"Love him," Jane affirms. "Takes care of me. Safe with him. Like Mike."

"Like Mike?" Steve asks as Jane nods. "Don't you, uh, love Mike in a different way?" When Jane turns her head in confusion, Steve continues. "Like a different way from Lucas or Max. You love them as friends but you love Mike a little more than that."

Jane pauses for a few seconds, cheeks growing red as she looks down at her plate of food.

"Hey, it's okay," Steve says quickly, squeezing her shoulder in comfort. "I know how you feel, Jane. I love him too."

"You do?" Jane asks, head snapping up to meet his gaze. Her eyes are wide at his confession and her lips curl up in the mischievous smile that Steve knows so well.

"Yeah, I do," Steve answers. "Just don't tell him that, alright? It'll go to his head."

Jane giggles at his words. "Promise," she says quietly as Billy walks into the room.

"Pizza should be ready soon," he states, gaze flickering from Jane's plate to Steve's face. "What did I miss?"

Jane beams. "We're gonna need a bigger boat!"

**Author's Note:**

> i would have written this monster of a fic sooner but i was, you know, actively trying not to kill myself so ,,, whoops
> 
>  
> 
> special thanks to noel, who sometimes, without even realizing it, consistently gently kicked my ass into gear to finish this.
> 
> come hang w/ me on tumblr @ wndasmaximoffs
> 
> the title of this fic is from greg laswell's 'comes and goes (in waves)'
> 
> kudos and comments are much appreciated in advance!!


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